PFI/PPPs

Mr. Bercow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the (a) private finance initiative and (b) public private partnership projects which have been delayed. [44875]

Mr. Hutton:
A delay of three months was experienced in assessing the "Retention of Employment" model at the three pilot sites. However, as announced on 18 March 2002, we are now satisfied that the model does provide value for money and that we will be proceeding on this basis for future national health service private finance initiative (PFI) projects.

No other PFI schemes are at a stage where the model has caused any delays.

Medical Negligence Claims

Harry Cohen:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total amount paid by the NHS for medical negligence claims in 200102. [45171]

Ms Blears:
Figures for clinical negligence expenditure by the NHS can be found in the National Audit Summarised Accounts for Health Authorities, NHS Trusts and the NHS Litigation Authority.

The Figure for 200102 is not yet available.

Anaesthesia Services

Mr. Greenway:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many community hospitals no longer carry out operations under general anaesthetic because of a shortage of consultant anaesthetists. [45108]

Mr. Hutton:
The Department does not collect figures on the numbers of community hospitals which carry out operations under general anaesthetic.

At September 2001, there were 3,550 (headcount) consultant anaesthetists (whole-time equivalent 3,320) for all trusts in England. Our current projections show that by 2004, there will be an increase of around 1,070 trained specialists in anaesthetics.

Road Accidents

Mrs. May:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average length of time was which it took the medical services to complete all their official duties at an accident site on (a) an A-road and (b) a motorway in each of the last three years. [42787]

Ms Blears:
The information is not available in the form requested. Information about the proportion of emergency calls resulting in an ambulance arriving at the scene of a reported incident within our target response times for NHS ambulance trusts in England, are contained in the Department's Statistical Bulletin "Ambulance Services, England 200001". A copy is in the Library and available on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/ public/sb0115.htm.

Regulatory Impact Unit

Matthew Taylor:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members his Department employs in its regulatory impact unit; and if he will make a statement. [42937]

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Ms Blears:
Two officials are employed under the leadership of a branch head within my Department's regulatory impact unit. The unit works with the Department's policy officials and the Cabinet Office regulatory impact unit to prepare regulatory impact assessments and identify suitable regulatory reform measures.

Fluoride

Mr. Syms:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support he gives to organisations which promote the use of fluoride. [43076]

Ms Blears:
We have given financial support to the British Fluoridation Society since 1975. The Society has both a promotional role and an information gathering function, and produces objective, evidence based information when responding to inquiries.

Strategic Health Authorities

Mr. Austin Mitchell:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will encourage strategic health authorities to establish their headquarters as close to the balance of population in the area as possible. [42095]

Mr. Hutton:
The location of headquarters for new strategic health authorities is a matter for the Chief Executive (designate) and the Chair (designate) in the light of options appraisals conducted at the same time as the boundary consultation exercise. The Department does not consider it necessary to offer specific advice to the leaders of the new StHAs on the location of their headquarters.

Adolescent Mental Health Unit, Tolworth

Chris Grayling:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the cost of opening a new adolescent mental health unit at Tolworth. [47499]

Jacqui Smith:
The estimated cost of opening a new adolescent mental health unit at Tolworth was given as £1.7 million in the outline business case.

Mental Health

Mr. Heald:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library the initial estimates of the cost of delivering a world-class mental health service referred to on page 115 of "Securing Our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View". [47431]

Jacqui Smith:
The initial estimate of the cost of delivering a world-class mental health service has already been given on page 115 of "Securing Our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View". This estimate was £3.2 billion per year.

Mr. Heald:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are (a) rough sleepers and (b) suffer from mental illness. [47435]

Jacqui Smith:
The Prime Minister announced on 3 December 2001 that his target to reduce rough sleeping by two thirds had been met and that 532 people were sleeping rough in England, compared to around 1,850 in June 1998. This represents a reduction of 71 per cent.

10 Apr 2002 : Column 458W

The support needs profile identified in the Social Exclusion Unit's 1998 report into rough sleeping highlighted that 3050 per cent. had mental health problems. The Homelessness Directorate is currently looking into the support needs of those people that remain sleeping rough to ascertain whether people are refusing offers of help to come inside as a lifestyle choice or due to other factors such as mental health or substance misuse issues.

Dr. Kumar:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the promotion of mental health services (a) in the UK and (b) in target specific groups in the last three years; and if he will list the campaigns. [42392]

Jacqui Smith:
The information requested is not available centrally. However, Standard One of the National Service Framework for Mental Health requires health and social services in England to promote mental health for all, working with individuals and communities, and to combat discrimination against individuals and groups with mental health problems, and promote their social inclusion. Local services have been asked to develop and agree evidence-based mental health promotion strategies based on local needs assessment by March 2002.

In addition, the Department has developed its "mind out for mental health" campaign to tackle the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems. This campaign is targeting three particular groups: employers, young people and the media as well as the public at large. In the financial year 200001 the Department spent £573,000 on the mind out for mental health campaign. £900,000 has been allocated to the campaign in the year 20012002.

NHS Concordat

Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been carried out under the NHS Concordat since November 2000. [47522]

Mr. Hutton:
Since November 2000 the Independent Healthcare Association (IHA) has collected monthly data from independent healthcare providers about the number of NHS patients treated by them. According to data made available to the Department by the IHA, between November 2000 and January 2002 (the latest month for which figures are available) at least 88,000 procedures were carried out in the independent sector in England, paid for by the NHS. This includes out-patient appointments, day cases and in-patient treatment.

NHS Patients (Overseas Treatment)

Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's policy is for national health service patients having received treatment in French and German facilities having follow-on treatment there if equivalent treatment can be provided locally. [47452]

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Mr. Hutton:
The national health service commissioners involved in the pilot programme for sending NHS patients overseas have aimed to purchase complete packages of care for patients, so as to reduce as far as possible the burden on the NHS of follow-up treatment. Any subsequent care and treatment that is required is organised by the NHS locally.

Tim Loughton:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make an announcement on the cost of NHS patients being treated in continental hospitals. [47521]

Mr. Hutton:
I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Leominster (Mr. Wiggin) on 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 486W.

NHS Expenditure

Mr. Howard:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the per capita spending on the NHS in 200102 in England; and the equivalent figures for planned expenditure in 200203. [48253R]

Mr. Hutton:
Planned NHS expenditure per capita is set out in the table.